📚 15 Books mentioned in "Francis Ford Coppola's First Podcast: How Philosophy Has Inspired His Life and Career" of The Daily Stoic

And maybe a period where it's an apparent disaster, but over time, you know, I once read an article that James Joyce was talking about 'Finnegans Wake.' And he said, 'I'm going to put so much interesting stuff in this that it's going to take, you know, uh, 50 years for people to figure out what's in it and it'll sell the whole time.'

The guest references a quote from James Joyce regarding 'Finnegans Wake,' explaining how he believed the book would take decades for readers to fully understand, despite selling well throughout that time.

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Sure, he wrote a book, a novel called 'Antkind,' a seven- or eight-hundred-page book called 'Antkind.' And that's what Google said: if you want to read something about being a... so I got it, and damned, if you know, as I said, everything I read changes my movie, but this book is changing my life because it's so, I finished it after 750 pages, and it was not unsatisfying.

The guest discusses reading Charlie Kaufman's novel, 'Antkind,' which he describes as a significant influence on his life. He notes that after finishing the 750-page book, it has profoundly impacted his perspective.

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By the way, have you ever read Gore Vidal's book on Aaron Burr? No, that's another great book.

During the discussion, the host inquires if the guest has read Gore Vidal's book about Aaron Burr, to which the guest agrees and describes it as a great read.

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Well, the schoolboys in the founding of our nation were reading Caesar and the Gallic Wars. They knew it all by heart.

The guest mentions that the schoolboys during the founding of the United States were reading Caesar's writings on the Gallic Wars, indicating their familiarity with his work. This reference serves to illustrate the influence of classical literature on the nation's founding.

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Yeah, on the nature of things.

The host implicitly references the poem 'De Rerum Natura' by Lucretius, indicating a familiarity with this classic work. The title reappears later in the transcript, highlighting its significance in the discussion of ancient literature.

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For example, one time I chose a great Chinese book called "The Story of the Stone" or "Dream of the Red Mansion" written in the 16th century. I found myself trying to change Megalopolis to be more like that, which I actually did, because that was one of the few books I ever read where the dream life of the characters was as important as their waking life.

The guest discusses how reading 'The Story of the Stone' (also known as 'Dream of the Red Mansion') inspired changes in one of his films. He highlights the importance of the characters' dream lives in the narrative, illustrating the profound impact the book had on his creative process.

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And speaking of books, just 'cause I know he's a through line in the movie, one of the characters quotes him a few times. What's your relationship with Marcus Aurelius's 'Meditations'?

The host inquires about the guest's connection to Marcus Aurelius's 'Meditations', mentioning that a character in the guest's recent film quotes Aurelius several times.

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I was just reading a book called "Papyrus," which covers the history of paper and early writings. One of the things the author notes is that scrolls, because they weren't books, were stored in specific boxes that often held seven scrolls.

The guest discusses a book titled 'Papyrus' that explores the history of paper and early writings, highlighting the difference between books and scrolls, particularly how scrolls were commonly stored in boxes that held seven scrolls.

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Have you ever read that beautiful Persian book called the Shahnameh by Ferdowsi? No, that's like Gilgamesh! It's an early Persian epic, and it's great—a tale of kings!

In the discussion, the host inquires if the guest has read 'Shahnameh' by Ferdowsi, remarking on its beauty and noting that it is an early Persian epic that tells a tale of kings.

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That it wasn't successful at first, so he and his editor straightened out something, I guess, I don't know which version I have. But I think what's unusual is that in the original 'Tender Is the Night,' there's a huge flashback in the middle of it that goes back and tells the story of Nicole and Dick Diver.

The discussion revolves around the book 'Tender Is the Night,' focusing on its initial lack of success and the unique structure involving a significant flashback that explores the characters Nicole and Dick Diver.

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One of my favorite books is called "The Storm Before the Storm," and the idea is that we just see Caesar crossing the Rubicon one day as if it just popped into his head, as if there wasn't all this history and all these other events leading up to this major event.

The guest highlights 'The Storm Before the Storm' as one of his favorite books, emphasizing how it illustrates the often overlooked historical context that precedes major events like Caesar crossing the Rubicon.

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There's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times for; it's called "The Swerve." Have you ever heard of it?

The guest enthusiastically recommends 'The Swerve' to the host, describing it as a book that the host will greatly appreciate. The conversation later explores the book's theme surrounding the rediscovery of an ancient poem.

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He has a book called "Tyrant" as well, which I loved, but I was thinking there's a common theme between this movie and Apocalypse Now, as well as the theme of Shakespeare: the ability to find old stories and place them in a new context while preserving the arcs, characters, and morals.

The guest mentions 'Tyrant' by Stephen Greenblatt as a book that he loved. This reference serves as a segue into discussing the common themes between his movies, particularly focusing on how old stories can be reinterpreted while maintaining their core characters and morals.

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He wrote a book called "Wilhelm Meister" and that was him stealing from Shakespeare. That is Goethe saying, "I want to be as much like Shakespeare as I can be," while Shakespeare was stealing from Plutarch, from Montaigne, from Danish legends, and from other plays—everyone has been stealing from one another.

In the podcast, the guest discusses Goethe's book 'Wilhelm Meister', highlighting how it serves as an example of one author drawing inspiration from another. Specifically, it illustrates Goethe's intention to emulate Shakespeare, while also noting Shakespeare's own influences from various sources.

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All right, let's talk because you mentioned Shakespeare. Greenblatt wrote this amazing book called "Will in the World" that I found incredible.

During the podcast, the guest highlights Stephen Greenblatt's incredible book, "Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare," as they transition into a discussion about Shakespeare.

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